Claudia Frere - Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Office

As an immigrant diversity has always been a part of my life, and I'm grateful for how this has shaped my  perspectives.  My family immigrated to the United States from the Philippines when I was six years old.  I was put into a class room when I didn’t know the language, so I learned to adapt quick and pay attention to my environment.  I naturally gravitate towards diversity and see it as a natural aspect of life.

Lynn Duong - Payroll Office
Diversity means to recognize difference in ethic culture race, religion, and political beliefs. Diversity includes different foods, art and even works styles. I am Indochinese and moved here from Vietnam.  Currently, I work in the Payroll office.  Why did I join the Diversity Teams in 2010? I wanted to know more about Financial Management and how the organization supports diversity.   In the past I had heard a lot about this good program to help Financial Management employees, such as the mentoring program, the talent show, and bite of Diversity.   I attended several events, I had fund and learned a lot about others.    I decided to join this team in 2010.  Our team will be arranging more activities, and encouraging FM employee to participate in the future.   

Maurice Henderson - Campus Mailing Services
I too grew up in a community filled with different Ethnicity,Cultural and Religious differences, etc. Being exposed at an early age to the diversity of our community, made me better prepared to deal with those differences on a larger scale later in my life. I believe that, when you  approach life with understanding, honesty, patience and mutual respect for all human beings, that you are on the road to excepting and practicing Diversity…

Mark Brady - Student Fiscal Services
On the most basic level the cycle starts with staying true to what you love. Seek the the doors of diversity and they will open to you. Find your heart there. The cycle renews.

Matt Evans - Field Advances
Diversity is opportunity. Diversity is an opportunity to discover, to learn, to grow and to appreciate, knowing that you are postively influenced by diversity.

Minh-Tam Nguyen - Grant and Contract Accounting
My first experience with Diversity was 20 years ago when I just came in the US and attended the first English as a Second Language class.  We had 24 people from 15 countries and with a little English skill to communicate.  Together with the teacher we used our language dictionaries,  signs, pictures to help understanding each other.  Today some of my friends from that class are holding high positions in professional career.  Living in America with a such diversity of cultures I'm learning all the time to participate, accommodate, recognize and appreciate the differences.  To me diversity means the rhythm of life.  It's enriched my life and helped me grow.

Ping Huang - Purchasing Department
Diversity to me are people of different cultural and national backgrounds.  I believe diversity is everyone, And everything.

Rosemarie Valencia - Accounts Payable
Being a minority is sometimes quite difficult, I have had several experiences with different races/groups of people and considering all in a positive way that it enhanced my knowledge dealing with people to me that is….Diversity! DIVERSITY- is bonding of people with different races, level, religion etc. we are serving.   I am lucky to be a part  of FM Diversity Team because I can contribute my ideas and services to strengthen Diversity in our workplace.

Yvonne Zhang - Grant and Contract Accounting
Diversity to me means recognition, understanding and acceptance of individual differences.  The differences  include race, age, sexual orientation , physical abilities, political and religious beliefs.

Our mission is to promote diversity in a positive and enriching environment for both personal and professional growth.  The Diversity Team offers a year round Mentoring Program.  In this program a mentee and mentor pair work together to explore and discuss an individual's unique talents to achieve personal and professional enrichment.  We challenge ourselves to keep learning, set goals, accept responsibility, solve problems and get involved in the community where we work.  Research show that employees (mentee) learn and develop faster than they would unguided. On the other hand it’s a special experience for mentor.  Nothing can match the feeling of fulfillment that you will get in knowing you have impact on someone’s growth.  In addition of gaining a friend, building a networking relationship, the benefit of participation in Mentoring program helps strengthen the awareness and appreciation for diversity.  Find out more about Mentoring program please click in the link: Mentoring 2010.

For more information, contact Minh-Tam Nguyen or Maurice Henderson.

A Diversity Team Brown Bag Event

On March 31st, the Diversity Team hosted a Brown Bag event that featured Frank Davis, the Interim Director for Creative Communications. Frank gave a fun and lively account of his journey here at the University of Washington, from his beginnings in 1973 up until today. His presentation included many humorous cultural and UW anecdotes relating to events that were happening in the 70's, 80's and 90's. While also featuring many thoughtful insights on his path to success here at the UW. Mentoring by previous and current UW employees was an integral part of his experience here. Frank also shared his "words to work by", which included the following principles: interpersonal skills, dedication and loyalty, continuous learning, fairness and honesty, recognizing people, making your boss look good and networking.

The presentation was brought to a conclusion by Frank's series of photographs depicting his diversity of character(s) "channeled through office halloween parties". The slide show featured many hilarious characters and costumes that included a hippie, a rapper, a pirate, one of the "Men in Black", a nerd, an old man and a 50's greaser. More recently and famously, Frank was one of the Blues Brothers. The grand finale video of Frank dancing.

Many thanks from the Financial Management Diversity Team to Frank Davis for being willing to share with us and helping to create such a successful event.

By Marie Atienze

Marie’s solo picture taken at the mountain top of a small town called Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Panay Islands Visayas Region, and Philippines (an hour away from Iloilo City). I chose to go the Philippines for a 3 week vacation to visit family and friends that I have not seen for 4 years.  I had a wonderful time seeing family, my mom, dad, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews.  We were able to go to a couple of resort in Bataan (Luzon Region) for sightseeing but what I enjoyed most is their company and our togetherness.  It is a different way of living in the Philippines, more laid back and slower pace than in the western worlds.

The second-largest archipelago in the world, with over 7000 tropical islands, the Philippines is one of the great treasures of Southeast Asia. Often overlooked by travelers because of its location on the ‘wrong’ side of the South China Sea, the Philippines rewards those who go the extra distance to reach it.  And because it’s off the beaten path, the Philippines are a great place to escape and have fun! First and foremost, the Philippines are a place of natural wonders – a string of coral-fringed islands across a vast expanse of the western Pacific. Below sea level, the Philippines boasts some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling, including wreck diving around Coron and swimming with the whale sharks off Donsol. Above sea level, it has a fantastic landscape with wonders enough to stagger even the most jaded traveler: the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, Banaue & the Rice Terraces and fascinating reminders of the islands’ history in places such as Samar & Leyte and Vigan. And if you’re after palm-fringed, white-sand beaches, try laidback Sipalay or flat-out party town Boracay. Of course, any traveler who has been here will tell you that it’s the people and their culture that makes the Philippines unique. Long poised at the centre of Southeast Asian trade, colonized by a succession of world powers, the Philippines is a vivid tapestry that reflects its varied cultural inheritance. And despite the poverty that afflicts much of the nation, the Filipinos themselves are among the most happy and easygoing anywhere. The Philippines truly qualifies as one of the last great frontiers in Southeast Asian travel. Cross whichever ocean you need to and see for yourself.

Fast Facts about Philippines
•    World's biggest producer of: coconuts; third-largest producer of bananas
•    Population: 97.9 million
•    Currency: what's the Philippine Peso worth today?
•    Number of islands: 7000
•    Filming location of: Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Born on the 4th of July
•    World record: largest cassava cake (100m)
•    Life expectancy: men 68 years, women 74 years
•    Asia's first: university (University of Santo Tomas, 1611); democratic nation (1896); commercial airline (Philippine Airlines, 1941)

Dried Fish Sales Ladies with different kinds of dried fish.

You can smell the fish market a few miles away.  In the Philippines dried fish and rice is a staple food and eaten with rice.  It is usually close the wet market and where the fishermen park their pump boat.  Before coming home, I managed to bring home some dried and smoked fish.  Yummmm, but smelly. Featured here are the dried squids and dried dilis (anchovies) dried fish of different kind, The skinny fish with long nose is the little fish; some have amazingly naturally sweet taste.

Fishermen Island hopping Pump Boat
Several Pump Boat parked for island hopping and fishing.  Most towns that have ocean front access have pump boats parked by the dock, ready for fishing trip or island hopping.  It is also a mode of transportation to go island to island.  Some families still live in the villages that the only way they could go in and out the island is through passenger pump boat.

Mode of Transportation - Tricycle

I took a picture of one of the mode of transportation in the Philippines, a tricycle which is especially popular with the locals in the province.   It is one of the quickest way to go places and used by town people for a short distance commute.

April

Jazz singer Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Baltimore, Maryland. She made her professional singing debut in Harlem nightclubs in 1931, and her first recordings in 1933. Although she had no formal musical training, she became one of the greatest jazz singers of all time; her recordings are now regarded as masterpieces.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson put on his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform (number 42) and broke the Major League Baseball "color line".  Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey signed a contract with Robinson to play for the team on October 23, 1945. Robinson then spent a year on a minor league team to sharpen his skills.  Rickey, who called the move baseball's "great experiment," chose Robinson because of his excellent athletic record and strength of character. The first player to "cross the color line" would have to be able to withstand intense public scrutiny and to avoid confrontation even when met with insults and hostility. Robinson was a well-rounded athlete, having competed in college baseball, football, basketball, and track. He had served in the Army and was active in the Civil Rights Movement. Robinson was a professional player for the Kansas City Monarchs, an all-black team in the Negro American League.

May

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration. Per a 1997 Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or Pacific Islander racial category was separated into two categories: one being Asian and the other Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

Cinco de Mayo
Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza successfully defended the town of Puebla on May 5, 1862, temporarily halting France's efforts to establish a puppet regime in Mexico. With the U.S. absorbed by the Civil War, Emperor Napoleon III hoped to create a French sphere of influence in Latin America. The victory is commemorated as a national holiday in Mexico.

The Mexican victory at Puebla was short-lived. French reinforcements seized the town in March 1863. The following June, Maximilian, younger brother of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and a member of the Hapsburg dynasty, was crowned emperor of Mexico. He remained in power until 1867, when Napoleon III abandoned his Mexican adventure and withdrew his troops.

June

Indian Citizenship Act
On June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law; until 1957, some states barred Native Americans from voting.

Congress Approves Nineteenth Amendment
On June 4, 1919, Congress, by joint resolution, approved the woman's suffrage amendment and sent it to the states for ratification. The House of Representatives had voted 304-89 and the Senate 56-25 in favor of the amendment.

Source: The Library of Congress

On Campus

April 21, 2010
A presentation by Dr. Biren (Ratnesh) Nagda
Associate Professor in the UW School of Social Work
Embracing Differences, Engendering Justice
Philip Hall (WPH) Assembly Room
12:30pm – 1:30pm

April 22, 2010
Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture:
Designing and Building Technology to Empower People
Reception: 5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Lecture: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
More Info

May 19, 2010
Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity Celebration 2010
Community Celebration of Diversity
5:30 p.m. - Reception
6:30 p.m. - Celebration, Fete and Honors
Husky Union Building (HUB) Ballroom
Register Online Here
RSVP Deadline is April 28, 2010
More Info

Off Campus - Seattle Center

May 2, 2010
Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration

May 8, 2010
Spirit of West Africa 

May 22, 2010
A Glimpse of China - Chinese Culture and Arts Festival 

May 28-31, 2010
Northwest Folklife Festival 

June 5-6, 2010
Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival 

June 12-13, 2010
Festival Sundiata: African-American Celebration 

June 19, 2010
Iranian Festival 

Pork Adobo 

by Rosemaria Valencia 

Ingredients:                                                      
2 lbs pork cut in cubes cut into pieces
1 head garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced                                                  
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup vinegar
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon paprika
5 laurel leaves (bay leaves)
4 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons water
You may use chicken instead of pork or combine both

Cooking Instruction:
*In a big sauce pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil then sauté the minced garlic and onions.
*Add the pork to the pan. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, vinegar, paprika and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or when meat is tender.
*Remove the pork from the sauce pan and on another pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork for a few minutes.
*Mix the browned pork back to the sauce and add cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken.
*Add salt and/or pepper if desired
*Bring to a boil then simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
*Serve hot with the adobo gravy and plain rice.